Spacing mechanism for punching-machines.



2 SHEETSSHEET l.

PATEN'TED DEC. 12

- S. G. HARVEY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 4, 1905.

SPAGING MECHANISM FOR PUNGHING MACHINES.

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PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

. S; C. HARVEY. SPACING MECHANISM FOR PUNGHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL C. HARVEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WIL- LIAMS, WHITE &COMPANY, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed August 4, 1905. Serial No 272,760.

To a, whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. HARVEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spacing Mechanism forPunching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to improve-- ments in spacing mechanismfor punchingmachines and the like, the construction and advantages ofwhich will be hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the annexeddrawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple mechanism forsecuring the spacingfeed of the table, the construction being such thata uniform or variable spacing, according to a prearranged pattern, maybe automatically secured and the spacing changed as required. With thisconstruction the relative positions of the stop-blocks may be changed orblocks of different lengths substituted therefor, by which means a quickvariation in the pattern for feed or spacing is readily obtained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line1 1 of Fig. 3, portions being broken away to more clearly illustrate theconstruction; Fig. 2, a similar View, the parts occup ing differentrelative positions; Fig. 3, a si e elevation, the table being shown insection and other portions broken away to more clearly illustrate theconstruction; Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig.2, and Fig. 5' a vertical sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the punch, B the table carrying thematerial to be operated upon, and C the feed-shaft for the table, thetable being provided with a rack D, which coacts with a pinion E,carried by the shaft C. Motion is imparted to the feed-shaft through theconnections hereinafter set forth in detail.

F denotes the main driving-shaft, said shaft being provided with apinion G at its inner end, which in turn meshes with a gear H, looselymounted upon the punch-actuating shaft I. The gear H is provided with aclutch member J, which coacts with a slidin clutch member K, splinedupon shaft I an 1 thrown into engagement by a treadle L or in any othersuitable manner.

Secured to the outer end of the shaft I is a crank-arm M, and pivotallyconnected to said arm is a rod or pitman N, which in turn is pivotallyconnected to a pawl-carrier O, swiveled upon the outer end of shaft C.The pawl-carrier is provided at its outer end with a gravitating-pawl P,which coacts with a toothed wheel Q, keyed to the shaft C, so as to movetherewith. The parts thus far described are of the usual construction.

A combined pawl-lifter and stop bar or rod is swiveled upon shaft C,said stop-bar comprising an arm R and an elbow-lever S, the arm 'R andlever S being swiveled upon said shaft between the arms of thepawl-carrier O and toothed wheel Q. The arm R and the upwardly-extendingarm or lever S are of such a length as to support between their adjacentends a pawl lifter or finger T near the periphery of the toothed wheelPivotally connected to the lower arm of the elbowlever S is a jointedrod or stop-bar U, the lower portion of which passes through a fixedguide V and extends in alinement with stopblocks W, which are placed ina channel bar or trough. Said trough is composed of a relatively heavyplate X, a bottom piece or rod Y, and side plate Z, bolts being passedthrough said plate Z, rod Y, and the lower portion of plate X to securethe parts in position. As will be seen upon reference to Fig. 5, thestop-blocks W fit closely against the plates X and Z and are held inposition thereby. Plate X is supported by rollers A, carried by arms B,extending outwardly from suitable pedestals or columns C, secured to thefloor of the mill. A rack D is secured to the inner face of the plate X,opposite the trough in which the stop-blocks are mounted, by brackets Eand an angle-plate F. The rack stands in direct alinement and coactswith a pawlG, carried at the lower end of an elbow-lever II, fulcrumedat .I upon an extension of the frame of the machine. Connected to thehorizontally-disposed arm of elbow-lever H is a spring J,

which serves to draw said armupwardly and to thereby carry the pawl Grearwardly over the teeth of the rack D. A rod K is secured to the freeend of the horizontal arm of lever H, said rod extending through guidesL,

projecting outwardly from the frame of the machine, and carrying at itsupper end a finger M, which, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1,stands in the path of travel of a shoulder or projection N, formed upona collar or sleeve 0, which is splined or keyed to the shaft I. Thefinger M is held against the collar or sleeve 0 by spring J, and as theprojection N comes into contact with said finger the rodv K will bedepressed, and consequently the rack and the parts attachedthereto-namely, the trough carrying the spacerblockswill be movedforward one step. This operation takes place when the parts are in thepositions shown in Fig. 2, at which time the pawl P willhave movedrearwardly or upwardly onto the pawl-lifter T and been drawn out ofcontact with the teeth of the wheel As the pawlcarrier O is movedrearwardly into this position byrotation of the crank-arm M and therearward movement of the pitman N said carrier will come into contactwith a pin P, carried by the elbow-lever S, to which the pawl-lifter isattached. Consequently the pawl-lifter will move rearwardly with thepawl-carrier to the position shown in Fig. 2. Upon the continuedrotation of shaft 4 I, and conse uently of crank-arm M, the

pawl-lifter an pawl-carrier will move downwardly in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, these two members traveling togetheruntil the lower end of rod U comes into contact with the-stop-block Wimmediately below the same. The movement of elbow-lever S and thepawl-lifter carried thereby will then cease, and the pawl-carrier willmove along independently thereof. Immediately the pawl P rides off theend of the lifter T it will engage the wheel Q and cause a rotationthereof, and inasmuch as said wheel Q is keyed or. made fast to shaft Oa feeding movement will be imparted to the table. This movement willcontinue until the parts reach the positions shown in Fig. 1.

Further movement of'the crank-arm M will serve to withdraw thepawl-oarrier and move the same upwardly, the pawl riding over theinclined faces of the teeth until it is lifted out .of contact therewithby the pawl-lifter T.

It will be seen that the height of the blocks W. determines the extentof downward movement of the arm U, and consequently determines the pointat which the pawl P will ride off the lifter and come into engagementwith the wheel Q. The greater the downward movement of the rod U theless will be the feeding movement imparted to the table. The shorter themovement of the lifter, and consequently of the rod U, the greater willbe the movement of the table by reason of the fact that the pawl P comesinto earlier engagement with wheel Q and moves the same to a greaterextent than if the movement of rod U were a longer one.

It is to be understood that the punch herein shown is merelyillustrative and that the mechanism for securing a variable feed may beapplied to any form of punching-machine or the like.

The spacing mechanism herein shown is entirely automatic in its actionafter the stopblocks W have been placed in position.

Again referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the spacing which willtake place until the block marked a is reached would be first a shortand then a long feed, the blocks in each series being the same inlength. Block a, however, is somewhat longer than the short blocks whichhave preceded it, and consequently the table will be given aslightlyincreased feed. The succeeding long blocks 1), which are all ofthe same length, will of course efiect the same amount of feed as thosewhich have preceded them; but the blocks 0 and at will effect aslightly-greater feed than block a, while blocks 6 and (1 will effect aslightly-greater feed than block 0. Block 6, however, will give a feedequal to that of block 0 and block f a feed equal to that of block a.From this it will be seen that any desired spacing may be secured, itbeing necessary only to place a block of the required height in thechannel or trough.

From the positions of the parts shown in Fig. 2 it will be noted thatthe means for advancing the block-carrier comes into operation at a timewhen the stop-bar or rod is elevated and the pawl P is held out ofoperative position.

It is entirely conceivable, so far as the broad or generic invention isconcerned, that means other than those operated directly by the machinemay be employed for advancing the block-carrier. Inasmuch as this wouldseem to fall within the province of the mechanic, it is not deemedessential to show means by which this can be carried out.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is 1. In combinationwith apunchingma chine or the like, a table; mechanism for periodicallyadvancing the same, said mechanseries of blocks serving normally tothrow said advancing mechanism into action at fixed intervals accordingto the dimensions of the blocks.

2. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a table; meansfor advancing'said table; a blockcarrier; a series of blocks carriedthereby; means for advancing said carrier step by step; and means actingin conjunction with the blocks for throwing the table-advancing meansinto action, at fixed intervals according to the dimensions of theblocks.

3. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a block-carrier;a series of blocks carried thereby; means for advancing said carrierstep by step; a feed-table mechism being normally held out of action;and a anism for advancing said table, said mechanism being normally heldout of action; means coacting with the blocks, for throwing saidtable-advancing mechanism into action; and connections between saidtable-advancing mechanism and the power-shaft of the machine foractuating said table-advancing mechanism.

4. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a block-carrier;a series of blocks carried thereby; a table; table-advancing meanscoacting with said blocks and controllable by the latter; and means forad-- vancing the block-carrier when the table-ad vancing means isinactive, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a block-carrier;a series of blocks carried thereby; a shaft for operating the punches orthe like; means coacting with said shaft to advance the block-carrierstep by step; a table; and feed mechanism for said table, comprising atoothed wheel, a pawl carrier, a pawl coacting with said wheel, apawl-lifter, means coacting with the blocks to arrest the movement ofsaid pawllifter, and connections between the punchoperating shaft andthe pawl-carrier for operating the latter, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a series ofblocks; means for resenting the same one by one to the tablefeedingmechanism; a table; and means for feeding the table, said meanscomprising a shaft, connections intermediate said shaft and the tablefor advancing the latter as the shaft is rotated, a toothed wheelsecured to the shaft, a pawl-carrier swiveled upon the shaft, a pawlpivoted upon the pawl-carrier and working in line with the teeth of thetoothed wheel, a pawl-lifter working over the wheel and in line with thepawl, a stop bar or rod coacting with said pawl-carrier, said rodstanding in alinement with the blocks as they are moved beneath thesame, means for moving the pawl-lifter rearwardly with the pawlcarrier,and connections between the pawlcarrier and a movable portion of themachine for actuating said carrier.

7. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a bloclccarrier;a series of blocks mounted therein; a rack-bar secured to said carrier;a pawl coacting with said rackbar; means to advance the pawl and therebymove the block-carrier; a table; a shaft op eratively connectedtherewith for advancing the table; a toothed wheel secured upon saidshaft; a pawl-carrier swiveled upon the shaft; a pawl carried therebyand normally standing in alinement with the teeth of said wheel; apawl-lifter; a stop bar or rod connected to the pawl-lifter, said rodstanding in line with the blocks and coacting therewith to arrest themovement of the pawl-carrier; a pin extending outwardly from thepawl-lifter in line with the pawl-carrier; a crank-arm secured upon amovable member of the punching-machine; and a pitman connecting saidcrank-arm with the pawl-carrier.

8. In combination with a punching-machine or the like, a trough ormember; means for supporting said member; a series of blocks mounted insaid trough; a rack secured to the trough; an elbow-lever pivotallyconnected to the frame of the machine; a pawl carried by thedownwardlyrojecting arm of said elbow-lever, said paw coacting with therack; means for normally elevating said elbowelever; arod secured to theop-' posite end of said elbow-lever; an operatingshaft for the punches;a sleeve mounted upon said shaft; a projection carried by said sleeveand serving to depress the rod secured to the elbow-lever; a table; ashaft; operative connections between said shaft and the table foradvancing the latter as the shaft is rotated; a toothed wheel securedupon said shaft; a pawl-carrier swiveled upon the shaft; a pawl carriedthereby in line with the toothed wheel; a crank-arm secured to thepunch-operating shaft; a pitman interposed between said crank-arm andthe pawl-carrier; a pawl-- lifter; a support for said pawl-lifter, saidsu port being swiveled upon the shaft for feeding the table; a stop baror rod pivotally connected to said swiveled support, the lower end ofsaid bar or rod standing in alinement with the blocks carried by thetrough; and a pin extending outwardly from the swiveled support for thepawl-lifter into the path of travel of the pawl-carrier, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL O. HARVEY.

Witnesses:

ALFRED MARSHALL, JAMES L. GoUGH.

